SALMON. 51 



It may be that Creative wisdom has im- 

 planted the same instinct in the North-western 

 salmon, prompting it to obey similar laws, and 

 follow the same routine as to the exodus sea- 

 ward, and return to fresh-water, as directs it in 

 our native streams : my own impression is, that 

 the fish spawned in midsummer or autumn re- 

 main up in the lakes and deep still river-pools 

 until the following summer freshets, when they 

 take their departure for the sea as the fresh- run 

 salmon come. I think so, because in the Sumass 

 and Chilukweyuk lakes, already spoken of; along 

 the banks of the Fraser river, and in the Osoyoos 

 lakes and tributaries to the Columbia river, I 

 have in September and October observed large 

 shoals of what I believed to be young salmon, 

 that disappear when the snow begins to melt 

 during June and July in the following summer. 

 I suspect the first flood carries them down and 

 out to sea ; but, after all, this is but surmise, 

 and of little practical value. 



I never caught salmon-fry whilst fishing for 

 trout, as we could so easily do in our streams ; and 

 it is just possible that the rapid rise (unlike any- 

 thing we know of in our streams) that takes place 

 in every river, brook, and rivulet during midsum- 

 mer, when the snow melts on the hills, reducing 



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